Denmark is the world's most content nation, according to a new study on global well being—a welfare state with free education and social services for all. But in an interview in “60 Minutes,” people explained that a primary reason for their contentment is that they do not have “high” expectations. In other words, if they don’t ask for much, they won’t get disappointed.
Mark tells how a blind beggar, sitting by the road, cried out, "Jesus, have mercy on me!" (Mark 10:46-52). People accused him of presumption, telling him to be quiet. But he continued, until Jesus stopped, and asked, "What do you want Me to do for you?" The blind man asked Jesus to make him see! Immediately, he was healed. Jesus said your faith (as demonstrated by his willingness to ASK) has made you whole!
Now what if the blind man had no expectation of healing? What if he had been afraid to ask?
In John’s gospel, Jesus says repeatedly, “Whatever you ask in my name, I will do” (Luke 11:9; John 14:13-14; 15:7, 16; 16:23-26). Paul elucidates on this “asking” theme, proclaiming: “by His mighty power at work within us, God is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever DARE TO ASK… (Eph. 3:20 NLT). Paul is almost warning us, it seems, to make sure our requests do not fall short of what God will do—IF we dare to ask. Then James says “You do not have, because you do not ask God” (4:2). Let’ not be “Danish” in our asking. Let’s show we are people who are not afraid to ask God for greater things (John 14:12).
Hi Greg, wonderful post! I wonder if Jesus let the blind man cry out long enough to hear if he was serious, or really meant it? I would expect this man, who didn't give up, wasn't a career derelict at heart, or a change had taken place in his heart. I wonder if Jesus asked the man at the pool of Bethesda if he wanted to be well for the same reason? I guess what I am eluding to, does Christ respond to someone who is deeply pursuing change, even when they don't have the power in themselves to do so, and possibly waiting for others to shift away from self-pity and "woe is me" to touch them? I think about this when I see the same homeless person over and over at the same place asking for money. And inside I think, what will my dollar do but perpetuate his situation and attitude toward it? But my inward desire to help someone in need, who is ready to move in the right direction, doesn't wane within me. Makes me wonder if Jesus asked these guys to prove their desire before healing them as a point of not casting his seed on the rocks, but finding a good investment in them? Did they have to really mean it when they asked Jesus o catch His attention?
ReplyDeleteJust a thought...
PS. I love your use of words today! Elucitdate! A great word nearly lost from our vocabulary! I know that's not your goal, but I like it...
Hey David. You should write a blog. Your insights are great and something I too have considered... "WHY" did Jesus ask these rhetorical questions!? Because perhaps He wanted them to verbalize their faith? Maybe the same way he kept asking Peter the question: "do you love me" until Peter's answer was genuine!
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